A blog about engagement and marketing

Are customers friends?

The social media phenomenon is really based around tools that help friends connect to friends. Facebook does this well, but then so does Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn, Bebo, and even Flickr and YouTube. They all help people find their friends and share with them.

So, what if marketers began thinking about customers as ‘friends’? Everyone can see the value in connecting to good customers. We’ve all been told, over and over, that 80% of business comes from 20% of the best customers. What if marketers thought of them as friends?

For years marketers have charted what’s called the loyalty cycle. Some customers are more loyal than others. Potential custoemrs aren’t even on the scale yet.

But we’ve always thought that the ones that are really loyal, the ones who talk about the product (using word of mouth), are the best brand ambassadors. If only there was a way to harness their loyalty and turn it into a positive thing.

This could be the hook into social media. Find a way to let your best customers talk louder about your company.